The Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix takes place November 13-15 in the Sao Paulo area. In addition to airports and parking (which we discussed in Part 1 in this series), business aircraft operators also need to plan for permits and other requirements that vary airport to airport —such as airport slots, prior permission required (PPRs), and customs, immigration, and quarantine (CIQ).

The following is an overview of what you need to know:

1. Parking and PPR requirements

A PPR is needed for both Guarulhos (SBGR)and Campinas (SBKP). Recommended lead time for PPR requests is at least 24 hours for SBGR and 72 hours for SBKP. Note that SBGR will officially limit general aviation (GA) parking to a maximum of two hours on the ground between November 11-15 with no exceptions. SBKP grants parking in three hour increments and PPRs for overnight parking must be requested well in advance.

11/9/2015: Updated by the author

2. Airport slots

Congonhas (SBSP), the closest airport to the Grand Prix event, requires airport slots for arrival/departure. Note that slots are not needed for either SBGR or SBKP. SBSP slots have a deviation +15/-15 minutes, and they may be requested up to five days prior to operation but not less than one hour prior to flight. It’s important to keep in mind that airport slots will not be processed until your landing permit is approved. You’ll need to provide certificates of airworthiness and registration, along with an approved landing permit with any online slot request. The Centro de Gerenciamento da Navegacao Aerea (CGNA) provides slot confirmations, and this must always be placed in the remarks section of your ICAO flight plan.

There is a high demand of slots at SBSP, and often operators end up not having a slot suitable for their schedule. If a slot close to the desired schedule is not available an option is to apply for an opportunity slot. For this, the operator will need to file the flight plan to another airport in the Sao Paulo terminal control area (TMA) such as SBKP or SBSJ. (Note that SBGR can’t be used for this purpose by regulation.) When the aircraft enters the TMA, the pilot should call control and request and opportunity slot to SBSP. The control will put the aircraft on hold until a slot is available. For departure, the pilot will need to present himself at the aeronautical information service (AIS) office and file the plan manually in order to receive an opportunity slot.

3. Landing permits

Landing permits are needed for all private non-revenue and charter (non-scheduled commercial) operations to Brazil. There are two different types of permits — standard landing permits and domestic overflight permits. A standard landing permit covers a single entry into Brazil while a domestic overflight permit allows operators to do more than one stop in country. Landing permits need to be requested prior to arrival with necessary document submissions and are formally validated upon arrival into the country. Documentation required for landing permits includes:

Pilot in Command (PIC) and Second in Command (SIC) first-class medical certificates

PIC and SIC pilot licenses with specific aircraft authorization

Airworthiness certificate

4. Domestic overflight permits

Agencia Nacional de Aviacao Civil (ANAC) issues domestic overflight permits, and these must be requested at least 48 hour prior to operation. Due to expected high demand for domestic overflight permits during the Grand Prix period we recommend making permit application seven days prior. Documents required for domestic overflight permits include:

Specific purpose of flight (to include the reason for traveling to the country)

Full schedule

5. CIQ procedures

Be mindful that SBGR has a specific and unique process in place for CIQ clearance. The process involves a special form listing onboard provisions and spare parts. CIQ clearance usually takes about 20 minutes for passengers but the process for crew is much lengthier. For more information on CIQ clearance at SBGR see our blog articles:

In the case of SBKP, CIQ clearance at this airport is done at the main terminal. Passengers go through the same lines as scheduled commercial traffic, and crew use their own dedicated crew line. The clearance process for passengers at SBKP is about 20-30 minutes from leaving the aircraft. This process is longer for crew – as long as one to one and a half hours – as customs will inspect the aircraft, and crew will need to validate their landing permit with customs.

6. Visa requirements

Passengers, depending upon nationality, often require visas for Brazil, and these cannot be obtained on arrival. Crew members, however, are usually visa exempt when they:

are on duty,

are listed as crew members on the gen dec,

are in uniform upon arrival,

possess valid passports, AND

have a license or professional certificate from an official entity in their home country

Note that flight attendants must have a professional certificate from an official entity, such as FAA, to be given visa-free entry to Brazil as qualifying crew.

Conclusion

It’s always best to plan early and to be aware of all permit requirements as well as any applicable airport slot and PPR requirements. Be aware of the CIQ process for your destination, as the clearance time can be considerably long for crew. Working with an experienced 3rd-party provider will help to mitigate any potential operating challenges.

Universal is not associated in any way with the Formula One group of companies. F1, FORMULA ONE, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing B.V.

Adonis Bastos is the Supervisor of the flight coordination office for Universal Aviation Brazil – Sao Paolo. While his areas of expertise cover a full range of general aviation (GA) support services throughout Brazil, Adonis is known for his in-depth knowledge on the ins and outs of Brazilian landing and domestic permits. With nine years in the aviation industry, working for airlines including Delta, Air China and TAM, five years in business aviation, and an educational degree in Air Transportation Logistics, Adonis is a key resource for GA operators heading for Brazil. He’s fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Adonis can be reached adonisbastos@universalaviation.aero.